Limmud Festival 2018

Limmud Festival 2018 – Wednesday 12:00

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Arranging the coals and stoking the fire: whole hog barbecue and the true Jewish soul

Jonah Geffen 

Yellow 22

For the 800+ formative years of Jewish history our primary mode of relationship with G!d was through a system of sacrifices. The past century has seen many Jewish thinkers struggle to reconcile this system with modernity. Together we will join in this conversation, with a little help from the foodways of the southern United States.

 Arranging the Coals and Stoking the Fire LimmudUK 2018.pdf

Can we live in a world without genetic disorders? How they impact the Jewish community and what we can do about it

Bianca Sakol  Talia Glantz  Joel Rosenberg 

Red 4

There are nine major genetic disorders that affect the Jewish community, with 1 in 5 Ashkenazi Jews being a carrier. This means that around 360 of us at Limmud are carriers for any one of them. Come and find out why this is the case, what that means and what we can do about it.

Daughters of Israel in the East: Flora Sasson, a Mizrachi talmidat chachamim

Angy Cohen 

Red 7

Flora Sasson (1859-1936) was an Iraqi female Torah scholar and pioneer. Her knowledge and intelligence was praised by many Sephardi chachamim. We will learn two of her texts that teach us both Torah and about her position as a woman, Sephardi and Torah scholar in a patriarchal world that was not welcoming to those three combined elements.

 Flora Sassoon-source sheet.pdf

Debate: This house believes that the Jewish left corrupts Judaism and endangers Israel

Tal Cohen  Eve Harow  Jonathan Neumann  Keith Kahn-Harris  Simon Gordon 

Red 1

Is tikkun olam – the duty to heal the world – an authentic Jewish concept and commandment? Or is it a modern political invention that has no basis in Jewish tradition and distorts the meaning of Jewish sacred texts? Join four eminent speakers as they debate the place of social justice in contemporary Judaism.

Freedom of choice, genetics and epigenetics

Moshe Szyf 

Orange 12

We inherit from our parents genes that have an important impact on our physical and mental health and our behavior. Are we predetermined or is there some space for 'freedom of choice'? The implications of new discoveries from the field of 'epigenetics' on this question will be discussed. What are 'Jewish' dimensions of this discussion?

 Epigenetccs genetics freedom of choice.pdf

How can you be LGBT+ and Jewish in an orthodox community?

Joe Hyman  Dave Shaw  Rachael Fried  Mike Moskowitz  Shonna Levin 

Orange 15

The inclusion of LGBT+ people in British Jewish life has become more topical, with the issues affecting their lives being openly discussed. This panel will address some of these issues & consider differences in experiences across orthodoxy in the UK & USA.

How to write a play

Stephen Laughton 

Red 8

Basic structure 101.... A fun and dynamic hour-long session that touches on everything you need to know about form and structure. The session concentrates on establishing and then moving through each of the important plots points on the classic 'Hero's Journey'.

Jewish opera composers - Twentieth Century (2 of 2)

David Farbey 

Red 2

After its 19th century success, opera developed strongly into the 20th century. David Farbey will outline the remarkable contribution made by Jewish composers and play a range of outstanding work.

Modern loss

Sherre Hirsch 

Red 5

We don't only grieve the loss of loved ones; we grieve our pasts, our dreams, our fantasies - even our disappointments. Learn strategies and tools to integrate these losses into your life to transform your suffering into strength.

 MODERN LOSS.pdf

Our sweetest war (a hummus demo)

Gil Hovav 

Red 9

• What is Israel's national dish? • Is it really mentioned in the Bible? • And what are the absolute do's and don'ts of hummus? Gil Hovav, one of Israel's top food writers, makes hummus, reveals all its secrets and lets you taste!

 Gil Hovav’s hummus recipe.docx

Poo and the philosophy of excrement

Samuel Lebens 

Blue 33

Why do we live in a world that requires us to poo? What are we, as Jews, supposed to take away from that fact? According to Jewish law, these questions cannot be discussed while on the toilet, so we'll discuss them in this session, instead.

Practical approaches to combatting antisemetism: a South African case study

Chaya Singer 

Red 3

Chaya Singer will discuss the work of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies in combatting Antisemitism through political engagement and input into the developing legislation, using the courts and statutory bodies to enforce laws around Hate Speech, and partnering with other non-governmental organisations.

Sex and Judaism 101

Merissa Nathan Gerson 

Orange 10

This session evaluates laws around LGBTQ inclusion and examines ancient heteronormative monogamy-centric sexual laws. From conjugal visits to periods of abstinence, from niddah to mikvah, we will dive into Torah and talmud learning learn how to apply the ancient to the modern in all-inclusive ways.

Startup Nation creates startups... but what does it get back?

Mark Goldfarb 

Red 6

Israel's economy is driven by its tireless efforts to create, grow and sell more hi-tech startups per capita than any other nation. Aside from salaries, the country's economy actually thrives as one of the top-performing in the world based on dozens of secondary contributions that the startup ecosystem makes to greater society.

Steering clear from kabbalah

Joseph Dweck 

Orange 14

How not basing religious practise on kabbalah has been a blessing for the Spanish and Portuguese Jews in the UK, and why others can benefit from doing the same.

The Middle East: a strategic overview

Jonathan Spyer 

Blue 34

This session will look at the main alliances currently competing in the Middle East, and at the key strategic processes under way in the region.

Chair Yoga

Estelle Eugene 

Green 25

A Chair Yoga session offering meditation. attainable postures and breathing techniques for anyone who would love to partake of yoga even if slightly incapacitatd or in senior years. Suitable for everybody. A delightful haven of peace amid the hurly burly of the day.

Translating the Bible: what do the words really mean?

Adele Berlin 

Orange 11

Translations are actually mini-commentaries. We will compare modern English Bible translations to see how they differ and why.

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